Here's to the Night
by crushed veneer
Summary: Britta feels like a bad Greendale parent when Annie follows her to a party and subsequently ingests a pot brownie. Britta/Annie, slight Britta/Jeff.


**AN:** Hello! I am very, very new to the Community fandom and this is my first fic for the show! I've written fanfic for another show I'm too embarassed to name, so I hope this okay! I'm still trying to get a hold of all the characters. Practice makes perfect, right? There's no spoilers and I guess you can say it takes place in early season 1 when Britta is dating Vaughn.

* * *

><p>Britta couldn't think of anything worse than spending a coveted Friday night with her eighteen-year-old Community College classmate. Well, it <em>could have<em> been worse had it been Jeff who weaseled his way into her car after their faux study group session. But it was Annie, with her big doe eyes and Disney princess pout, that was hot on Britta's trail after she mentioned Vaughn was having a house party with his roommates. Annie, who had never been to a college party (or a party for that matter), was quick to invite herself. And after spending twenty minutes in the car listening to Annie ramble about their Spanish test on Monday, Britta was ready for a double vodka on the rocks while she did her best to lose Annie in the sea of stoners Vaughn associated with.

"Okay, Annie, this is where we split up," Britta instructed Annie slowly, placing both hands on the younger girl's shoulder. "You go mingle while I go find Vaughn."

Annie's eyes nearly bulged out of her head. The thought of being alone at a party where she knew nobody except Britta terrified her. When Britta went to walk away, she reached out for the blonde's arm. "Britta!" she whined. "I don't know how to mingle."

"Just go talk to people," Britta said through gritted teeth. She could spot Vaughn in his shirtless glory just across the room near the kitchen.

"But how?" Annie gasped in confusion, reaching for Britta's hand when she turned on her heels to walk away. "Britta!"

Britta closed her eyes when she felt Annie's small hand clutch her own like a lifeline. She felt for Annie, she really did, but this night was all about getting drunk and being with Vaughn. Having a neurotic teenager attached to her hand all night was going to hinder any chance of this. Annie instinctively moved closer to the older woman when a few of Vaughn's friends (shirtless as well) started shot gunning beers around them. With a squeak, Annie closed her eyes and whimpered in disgust when she felt a splash of beer land on her right shoe.

"Is this normal?" she whispered to Britta, clearly judging all of the people around them cheering loudly.

"Yes."

Annie shook her head, linking her arm with Britta's when she attempted to walk away again. "What's there to drink around here?"

"I don't know, Annie," Britta snapped, untangling herself from Annie's grip. "Why don't you go get yourself a beer?"

"I'm underage!" Annie gasped in horror, placing a hand over her heart. "What if the cops come? I'll get arrested and I won't be able to post bail so I'll have to end up staying the night in a cell with a butch woman named Marge who will probably make me her bitch! I won't fair well in jail, Britta. You would, but not me! I can't go to jail!"

"You're not going to jail," Britta closed her eyes with a sigh, feeling a stress headache coming on with Annie's incessant rambling. "I think I saw Starburns over by the keg. Why don't you go talk about the Spanish test on Monday? I'm sure he'd love to help you in convincing Chang to let us watch _Destinos_."

"Okay," Annie conceded with a sigh, finally catching on that Britta was getting annoyed. She stepped back and gestured for Britta to go. "Wait! Where are we meeting? And how long are we going to be? I'm meeting Shirley for brunch tomorrow!"

"I don't know," Britta shrugged. "Live a little, Annie! You're young and at your first college party. Unbutton your cardigan and have a drink!"

With that, Britta disappeared into the large crowd, leaving Annie to sulk in silence by the television. She watched as Britta sauntered over to her boyfriend, immediately sticking her tongue down his throat. She wanted nothing more to avert her eyes, but couldn't. It was almost hypnotic. Vaughn moved his hand up the back of Britta's shirt, whispering something into her ear, which made her laugh.

"Gross, huh?" Annie heard an unfamiliar voice from behind. She whipped around and came face to face with a shirtless, greasy haired man she vaguely recognized from campus. He outstretched his hand for Annie to shake. "I'm Rain."

Annie couldn't look past his stringy long hair and cropped linen pants. However, once she got a glimpse of his nice chest, Annie was going to abide by Britta's simple advice and live a little. "Annie," she greeted with pep in her step, smiling at Rain's firm handshake.

"Do you go to Greendale?"

"Sometimes," Annie shrugged with a smile, twisting a piece of hair around her finger. "I mean, on the days it doesn't conflict with my party schedule."

Rain nodded with a smirk. "Right on."

"So, what does a girl have to do to get a drink around here?"

"Follow me," Rain smiled, holding out his arm for Annie to take. "Do you like brownies? I was saving them for later but I think I can make an exception for someone as pretty as you," he added with a wink.

"I love brownies!" Annie beamed from ear to ear, sending Britta a quick thumbs up when they made eye contact. "My friend Shirley makes the best brownies. She adds in a handful of chocolate chips so each bite is extra chocolatey!"

"Cool," Rain nodded suavely. "But I think you'll like my brownies a lot better."

* * *

><p>"Round two?" Vaughn smiled lazily at Britta as he kissed down her neck.<p>

Truth be told, Britta was exhausted. Vaughn was very specific about went on in bed and spent the first half hour crying about the flickering lamp because it ruined the serene ambience of the room. Plus, she was getting worried about Annie. It had been nearly an hour and a half since she last heard from her. She half expected Annie to be calling every ten minutes but she didn't even get one text from the younger girl. Annie was probably in the corner playing Bejeweled on her cell phone waiting to go home. So that was the image Britta left in her head when she rolled on top of Vaughn with a grin. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, moaning softly when he ran his fingers through her sweaty hair.

Then she thought about Starburns. And the creepy dude with long hair that Annie disappeared into the kitchen with. What if he tried to date rape her? What if Starburns kidnapped her?

"I can't do this," Britta finally exclaimed, climbing off Vaughn.

"What?" Vaughn asked in panic. "Do you not want to be with me?"

"It's Annie," Britta sighed in annoyance, reaching for her shirt.

"You want to be with Annie?"

"No," Britta was quick to confirm, lacing up her boots. "I left her downstairs with a bunch of people who are probably trying to corrupt her."

"So?"

"So? The only person who can corrupt Annie is me!" Britta shouted, rushing over to the bed to give Vaughn one last kiss. "Thank you for understanding."

Vaughn smiled in confusion and flopped back down on the bed when Britta ran out of the room. She practically jumped down the stairs and tried to scan the crowd for any sign of Annie.

"Hey, Blondie," Starburns greeted, nudging Britta's shoulder when she didn't seem to hear him. "You looking for your friend with the big boobs?"

"Her name's Annie," Britta scowled. "And referring a young girl based on the size of her chest is so demeaning, Starburns."

"Well, I would say the same thing about you," Starburns shrugged in defense. "But it seems to me you're still waiting for your boobs to grow."

"Where's Annie?" Britta glowered, making a mental note to make a scene in Spanish class to embarrass Starburns as much as possible on Monday.

"Last time I saw her she was dancing on the coffee table."

_Oh, crap_, Britta thought to herself, weaving in and out of drunk college kids to get to the couch. And sure enough, there was Annie, sandwiched in between the guy she was with earlier and some Rastafarian with a guitar. This was not good.

"Britta!" Annie shrieked in delight once she spotted her blonde friend. She immediately jumped to her feet and threw herself into Britta. "I am having so much fun at this party!"

"Annie," Britta stared at the girl quizzically, holding her at arm's length. "Are you drunk?"

"No," Annie guffawed, turning her attention back to Rain. "Rain gave me a brownie! It totally made me feel relaxed and…_coo_l."

"What is wrong with you?" Britta yelled at Rain, slapping his bare chest. Annie giggled at the sound it made. "She's a kid! Something could have happened to her."

"Chill," Rain put his hands up, his voice relaxed. "I only gave her half."

"You promised I could have the other half later!" Annie butted in with a pout, pulling on Britta's arm. "Britta! He promised me I could have the other half of the brownie later. It's later!"

"No," Britta glared, grabbing hold of Annie's hand. "It's time to go."

"Why?" Annie whined, trying to break free. "But I wrote Rain a song! Don't you want to hear the song I wrote Rain, Britta?"

"I want to hear it," Rain broke in from the couch.

Britta threw her hands up in the air and watched as Annie grabbed the guitar from the equally stoned Rastafarian man. She propped on leg up on the coffee table and rested the guitar on her thigh. Rain leaned in intently, flipping his hair back in the process. Britta rolled her eyes.

"It's kinda bad," Annie giggled, strumming a few chords off key. "Ready?"

"We're ready," Britta snapped in annoyance. This was supposed to be a night of getting drunk and forgetting about her problems. It wasn't supposed to be a night of taking care of a high teenager who had no idea she was even high.

"_Rain, rain, go away_!" Annie sang obnoxiously. "_Come again another day_!_ Rain, rain-_"

"Fascinating," Britta deadpanned, pulling the guitar away from Annie and shoving it into Rain's arms. "How long has she been like this?"

Rain shrugged. "An hour or so."

"How much weed did you put into the brownies?"

"Dunno."

Britta took a deep breath and reached for Annie when she started chatting to Starburns and feeling his sideburns. "Come on, Annie. Time to go."

Annie smiled excitedly. "Where are we going? I'm hungry! Are you hungry, Britta?"

Britta had no shame in pushing Annie out the door and down the steps. She threw her into the backseat of her car and made sure she was strapped in before slamming the door shut with all her might.

"How come I have to sit in the back?" Annie asked, leaning in between the two front seats to look at Britta. "I'm old enough to sit in the front."

"I don't want you in the front," Britta replied simply, turning the car key into the ignition a few times when the car didn't start. "Oh, come on!"

"Uh oh," Annie's eyes widened. "How come your car isn't starting? Are we going to have to sleep in the car? I didn't brush my teeth yet!"

Britta tried a few more times, banging her hands on the steering wheel repeatedly until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She slowly turned around and glared at Annie with a frightening look. "What?"

"I have to pee," Annie whispered shyly, trying to unbuckle herself.

"There's a whole open road out there," Britta said flatly, gesturing to the abandoned field next to Vaughn's apartment building.

"I can't go out there," Annie gasped softly. "The aliens will get me."

Britta tried not to laugh at Annie's impending state of paranoia, hoping her chatty stage was passing. But boy was she wrong.

"Will you come out there with me?" Annie asked with a pout. "You have to protect me from the aliens! Okay, Britta? Tell them I'm far too young to be abducted. Offer yourself, okay? I still have a life to live!"

"Two minutes, Annie," Britta warned the brunette sternly, pulling her out of the car and across the street. "You have two minutes before the aliens get you." When Annie went to squat, she rummaged through her jacket pocket to get her cell phone, hating herself even more when she found herself dialing Jeff's number.

"I can't go!" Annie cried, pulling her dress back down. "It's too scary."

A part of Britta felt bad when Annie buried her face into her shoulder, holding her waist tightly. She stroked the younger girl's hair and swallowed her pride when Jeff made some asinine comment when he picked up the phone.

"Did Vaughn not put out? Or did he spend the whole night crying to prep himself before penetrating you?"

"Very funny," Britta rolled her eyes, frowning at how accurate Jeff was. "I need a favor," she begged, grimacing when she felt Annie drool against her bare shoulder.

"No way," Jeff replied almost immediately. "I spent the whole night wooing some girl with my extensive knowledge of _Saved By The Bell_. I'm not backing down now."

"My car won't start," Britta whined, pushing Annie away when she felt her teeth graze her shoulder. "Don't bite me, Annie!" Annie backed away shyly.

"Whoa," Jeff said, suddenly interested. "What is going on there and can I join?"

"Annie ate a pot brownie," Britta whispered into the phone, turning away when Annie's ears perked up. "She won't stop talking and now she's convinced the aliens are coming to get her. Can you pick us up? Otherwise I'm leaving her here with a tinfoil hat on."

"Who are you talking to?" Annie asked, raising a perplexed eyebrow. "Can I talk to them, too? Britta it's way past two minutes! I think I can hear the sound of the spaceship coming!"

"I'm talking to Jeff," Britta told her slowly, as if she were speaking to a small child. "He's going to come get us and save us from the aliens."

"No!" Jeff yelled through the phone. "No! I am not leaving my one nightstand to pick up a high teenager. You're a horrible Greendale Mom! Way to let the child get high."

"I left her alone for an hour!"

"Ha, I'm surprised Vaughn wasn't down for the count after two minutes."

"Look," Britta was reduced to pleading. "If you come pick us up, I'll show you more of Vaughn's poetry and you can make fun of it all you want."

Jeff was silent for a few seconds. "Deal."

* * *

><p>Annie held on to Britta when Jeff's Lexus pulled up. "Is this it? Are we getting on the mother ship?"<p>

"Yes," Britta teased, pushing Annie into the backseat. "Jeff is going to take you home to be with your real family."

"No," Annie whispered in fright, grabbing a tuft of Jeff's hair when she got in the car. "Don't take me back, Jeff! I can't go back!"

"I'll kill you," Jeff hissed to Britta when she clambered in the front seat with a triumphant grin. He turned around and looked at Annie with a glare, pointing his index finger right at her face. "You listen, kid. Sit back and buckle up. I don't want to hear a peep from you."

"But-"

"Go to sleep, Annie," Britta cooed, her voice eerily sounding a lot like Shirley's.

Annie pouted and crossed her arms, leaning her cheek against the cool window. Jeff began to pull away and slapped Britta's hand when she went to change the station, presumably to something that played Radiohead or some other loser rock band.

"My car, my music."

"This sucks," Britta argued simply. She stole a quick glance back towards Annie and sighed softly when the teenager was fast asleep. "I don't even think she knows she's high."

"She has to," Jeff whispered, stopping at a red light and turning to face Britta. His facial features were soft and serious against the reflection of the streetlights. "Incase you smoked all of your brain cells away with Vaughn, she was addicted to pills, remember?"

"Yeah but eating a pot brownie is a total different high than digesting pills."

"I wouldn't know. I did a lot of things when I was her age but drugs…drugs never interested me."

"Because they didn't have a vagina?" Britta joked. The seriousness of their conversation was making her feel uncomfortable. She was used to bantering with Jeff, not opening up and sharing facts about their respective pasts. It was too weird. "I'm sorry," she apologized when Jeff never replied.

"What about you?" Jeff's tone was back to its normal playful self. "When's the first time you got high?"

"I was thirteen," Britta admitted, not too proudly. "My parents were away for the weekend and my brothers decided to throw a party. I had a huge crush on their friend Scott and when he offered me a hit, I said yes. I didn't want him to think I was a kid or anything so I took it. And the next thing I knew, I woke up on the bathroom floor with a bag of sour cream and onion chips underneath me."

Jeff snorted at the last bit. "So you've been a rebel for fifteen years, huh?"

"I should have been watching her," Britta confessed sadly, looking back at Annie again. She looked so innocent with her brown hair covering her face like a net.

"Yeah," Jeff shrugged. "But I wouldn't beat yourself up over it, Britta. You're not her mother."

"Something could have happened to her."

"But nothing did."

Britta gnawed at her bottom lip, feeling Jeff's hand engulf her own in its entirety. Normally, she'd pull back and make a face, but she squeezed Jeff's hand back. He didn't make a snide comment or attempt to hit on her. He was just there for support.

"Thanks for picking us up," Britta finally said after a long pause, slowly pulling her hand back when things were getting a tad too uncomfortable. "I'm sorry I ruined your attempt at bedding another bimbo who has no standards or self-respect."

"Life goes on," Jeff said with his signature smile. "Besides, her favorite character was Screech. Who liked Screech?"

"A bimbo with no standards," Britta reiterated as she punched Jeff's shoulder.

They fell into a comfortable silence and Britta took the opportunity to lean against the window, staring out at the quiet town. Her apartment was only a few blocks away and she couldn't wait to crawl into bed with her latest rescue cat and sleep the night away.

"Where are you going?" Britta asked when Jeff missed the left onto her street.

"My apartment," Jeff replied simply. He looked over at Britta. "Your apartment's too cramped for the three of us and I don't want to carry Annie through Dildopolis while you peruse their dildo collection. Plus, I don't feel like flirting with her Mexican landlord. It's not worth the free hair products."

Britta laughed softly and looked back at Annie, who was sleeping like a baby. "Did you mean what you said before? About me being a bad…mom."

"What?" Jeff raised a confused eyebrow as he pulled into the parking lot at his condominium. He put the car in park but kept it idle, just incase Britta decided to run and leave him with Annie. "I never said that."

"When I called you for a ride and told you Annie was high, you called me a bad Greendale Mom," Britta whispered. There was a plaintive crack in her voice and Jeff swore he saw tears reflecting in her eyes by the dim streetlights. "Did you mean it?"

"No" Jeff whispered back, shifting in his seat so he could face the blonde. She stared back, the vulnerability evident on her pretty face. "Britta, it was just an offhanded comment. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Yeah, I know," Britta was quick to diffuse the situation. "I was just thinking…what if that were to happen to my own kids?"

"I thought you didn't want kids? You said they were for housewives who were bored with their life and only wanted to reproduce to see if they could fulfill their failed childhood dreams through their offspring."

"I'm just saying," Britta rolled her eyes; glad to see Jeff was back to his normal and sarcastic self. "Anyways, are you going to carry her up? Or should we all go snuggle in the backseat?"

"Only if you're the big spoon," Jeff joked, unbuckling his seatbelt. He went to open the door but stopped when he heard his leather seats rustling in the back. Annie's left eye opened first, her right one immediately falling suite when she took in the unfamiliar setting. It took her a moment to collect herself before sitting up straight. "Oh, good morning, Miss Mary Jane."

"How do you feel?"

Annie rubbed her eyes and brushed the hair out of her face. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Britta laughed, reaching for Annie's hand.

"I ate a pot brownie, didn't I?" Annie whispered wide-eyed, almost too ashamed to say the word "pot."

"Just half," Britta assured the younger girl with a smile. "You'll be okay."

"I'll call off the candle light vigil," Jeff joked, his smile turning into a frown when he felt Britta slap him in the chest. "Ow!"

Annie's eyes immediately looked down at her lap. "I'm sorry," she repeated again, this time more childishly. "I ruined your night, didn't I?"

"No, Annie, no," Britta was quick to say, climbing in the back to wrap Annie in a much needed hug. "You were pretty funny actually. You met some guy named Rain and started singing _rain, rain go away_ to him."

Jeff chuckled from the front seat. "And there's no video of this?"

"I hope not," Annie groaned, burying her face into her hands. She looked at Britta and then to Jeff, her blue eyes brimming with tears. "Thanks for taking care of me. I, I feel so dumb."

"Just don't let it happen again," Jeff joked, reaching back to ruffle Annie's hair. "You're grounded for a month though."

Britta and Annie rolled their eyes. Annie dropped her head on Britta's shoulder and closed her eyes tiredly. "Okay."

"I hope you've learned your lesson," Britta feigned disappointment. "Never accept brownies at a party. Understand?"

"A-huh," Annie yawned.

"And never go to a party with Britta again," Jeff chimed in as he shut the car off.

"A-huh."

Britta scoffed. "She followed me."

"That's ridiculous," Jeff guffawed, opening the back door. "She's not _that_ naïve to think you're cool." He gently pulled Annie out of the car and set her down on the pavement. She refused his offer of a piggy back ride and linked arms with both Jeff and Britta as they made their way into his building.

"I think I'm okay with never going to a party again," Annie concluded with a wistful sigh. "Consider it a lesson learned. Plus, Britta hangs out with weird people."

"They're cultured," Britta defended herself immediately. "Like Jeff is any better. Just as he was about to seal the deal on his latest one night stand, he ran away because the girl's favorite _Saved By The Bell_ character was Screech."

"She said he was cute!" Jeff shivered, pushing the elevator button repeatedly until Britta slapped his hand away. "How can you prefer Screech to Zach?"

"I may have judged this girl wrong," Britta smirked as they got in the elevator. Annie followed suite in confusion. "I like that she doesn't conform to the popular opinion that Zach was the hottest character. What do you think, Annie?"

Annie just shook her head and slumped against the wall. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Jeff and Britta exchanged a look of shock and half considered pushing Annie out of the elevator just as the doors were about to close.

"That's it," Jeff clapped his hands. "Your punishment for eating pot brownies is sitting through a marathon of _Saved By The Bell_. You understand, young lady?"

"Britta!" Annie whined whilst stomping her foot on the tiled floor. She pulled on the blonde's arm once they reached Jeff's floor. "Tell Jeff he can't do that!"

"Sorry," Britta shrugged, giving Jeff a high five. "You should have thought about that before you took a pot brownie from some guy named Rain."

Annie gasped in annoyance and stomped her way into Jeff's apartment.

"I think we've got this whole Greendale parent thing down," Jeff said as he bumped his fist into Britta's, watching Annie sulk on the couch. "Get comfortable, Annie. Things at Bayside get a little dramatic at times. "


End file.
